Citation Nr: 18155676
Decision Date: 12/04/18	Archive Date: 12/04/18

DOCKET NO. 16-58 736
DATE:	December 4, 2018
REMANDED
The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.
The claim for an initial disability rating greater than 30 percent for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder is remanded.
REASONS FOR REMAND
The Veteran served on active duty in the United States Air Force from April 1978 to July 1986 and again from January 1991 to April 1991.
This matter comes to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) on appeal from a July 2016 rating decision by the Regional Office (RO) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in Houston, Texas.
1. The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.
In the Veteran’s September 2016 notice of disagreement, she wrote that, prior to her July 2016 VA audiological examination, she underwent audiometric testing from a private physician and was told that she had significant bilateral hearing loss.  Unfortunately, a review of the claims file is negative for this private audiometric testing.  On remand, the Veteran should be afforded the opportunity to submit this report and/or provide VA with the necessary information so that VA can obtain this report.
2. The claim for an initial disability rating greater than 30 percent for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder is remanded.
The Veteran was last afforded a VA psychiatric examination for her other specified trauma and stressor related disorder in June 2016.  Significantly, the June 2016 VA psychiatric examination is negative for memory loss and disturbances in motivation.  Subsequently, in her September 2016 notice of disagreement, the Veteran wrote that her psychiatric disability had increased “tenfold in recent months.”  Specifically, she noted that her anxiety had resulted in frequent epigastric distress, she had increased short and long-term memory loss, and that she experienced loss of motivation to do anything outside of her part-time job.  This suggests that the Veteran’s service-connected psychiatric disability has significantly increased in severity.  Given the suggestion of an increase in severity of the service-connected psychiatric disability, the Veteran should be afforded a new VA examination.
Finally, with regard to both remanded issues, the Veteran should be provided with an opportunity to identify any VA or non-VA healthcare provider who has treated her for her psychiatric and/or hearing loss disabilities during the pendency of this appeal.  Also, the Board notes that there are likely outstanding VA treatment records as the Veteran has consistently sought treatment at VA since November 2009 but the most recent VA medical records in the claims file are dated in November 2016.  Therefore, all outstanding VA treatment records should be obtained on remand.
The matters are REMANDED for the following action:
1. Afford the Veteran an opportunity to identify any healthcare provider who has treated her for her  psychiatric and/or hearing loss disorders.  After obtaining any necessary authorization from the Veteran, obtain all identified records, to include private audiometric testing referenced in her September 2016 notice of disagreement as well as updated VA treatment records dated from November 2016 to the present. 
2. Schedule the Veteran for a VA psychiatric examination to determine the current severity of her other specified trauma and stressor related disorder.
3. Readjudicate the claim.  
 
L. M. BARNARD
Veterans Law Judge
Board of Veterans’ Appeals
ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD	April Maddox, Counsel